Malaysian PM Razak to make 1st visit to Phl since assuming office

(The Philippine Star) | Updated October 13, 2012 - 11:01pm

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak will undertake an official visit to the Philippines upon the invitation of President Benigno S. Aquino starting tomorrow, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced today.

"This is the first visit of Prime Minister Najib to the Philippines since he assumed office in 2009," the department said, adding that the Malaysian leader will be accompanied by his spouse and the Malaysian ministers of foreign affairs, defense and international trade and industry.

According to the department, Najib will be one of the guests witnessing on Monday the signing of the framework agreement between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Font (MILF) in Malacanang, the Philippine presidential office.

Malaysia has been the third party facilitator of the GPH-MILF peace talks since 2001 and the head of the International Monitoring Team since 2004.

During the official visit, the DFA said that Najib will have a bilateral meeting with Aquino in the morning of October 15 to discuss the political, economic and defense and security cooperation between the Philippines and Malaysia.

Najib, who will be accompanied by a Malaysian business delegation, are going to meet leading Philippine CEOs under the auspices of the Philippines-Malaysia Business Council during the trip, DFA added.